FAQ's
How does MailWasher Pro work?
Answer:
MailWasher Pro works directly with your email server, exactly like your email program does. But there is one important difference: you can tell MailWasher Pro to delete a message at the server, without downloading it.
MailWasher Pro retrieves information about all the email on the server. With that information (some of which is also processed by MailWasher Pro), you can decide what to do with each individual email - download, delete, or report.
If you check your accounts with MailWasher Pro first, you can delete the email you do not want. Then, when you use your email program, it downloads only the remaining email, those that you want to read.
MailWasher Pro can be thought of as a "first line of defense" which weeds out junk, large wasteful attachments and potentially harmful viruses.
How do I start using MailWasher Pro?
Answer:
To successfully setup MailWasher you'll need your email settings. MailWasher will import these from your existing email program, but you can also get these from your email program or your internet provider.
You will need:
- Email server settings (pop3, smtp)
- Username
- Password
To begin using MailWasher, here's all you need to do.
To check email, don't open your email client first. Instead, just start MailWasher by double clicking on the desktop icon, or going to Start menu, Programs, then MailWasher.
The MailWasher program will then start and will tell you what messages you have waiting for you on the email server. In the check boxes, select whether to Delete the messages (if nothing is checked, the emails will simply be downloaded to your email client as normal), and then select process mail. Processing mail will remove the emails you have selected. Your email client will open and you can download the remaining emails as you normally do.
If you watch the video on the website http://firetrust.com/en/products/mailwasher-pro/tour (which is the same as the animated video when you first start MailWasher), it shows you how to train mailwasher and after a few times it becomes very good at recognizing spam. You just need to classify your email as 'spam' or 'good' to begin with.
What is spam?
Answer:
"Spam" email is generally defined as an unsolicited mailing, usually to many people. A message written for, and mailed to, one individual that is known to the sender is not spam and a reply to an email is not spam, unless the "reply" repeats endlessly.
Spam is also known as UCE or Unsolicited Commercial Email.
Which operating systems does MailWasher Pro run on?
Answer:
MailWasher Pro runs on the following Windows operating systems:
- 98
- Me
- NT
- 2000
- XP, and
- XP Pro.
- Vista
- Windows 7
The windows version also runs in Linux under Wine.
What are the minimum requirements to run MailWasher Pro?
Answer:
32Mb of RAM, 32Mb of disk space, and an Internet connection are required to run MailWasher Pro.
Which email programs does MailWasher Pro work with?
Answer:
MailWasher Pro works independently of email programs, so you can use any email program you want to.
Which mail protocols does MailWasher Pro support?
Answer:
MailWasher Pro supports all POP3, Hotmail, MSN, AOL/Netscape, and IMAP accounts.
MailWasher Pro also supports SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) authentication.
How can I download MailWasher Pro?
Answer:
Complete the following steps to download MailWasher Pro:
- Click Download to go to the download page and click the Download button.
- The File Download dialog box displays.
- Click Save and select a location to download MailWasher Pro to.
- Click Save to begin the download.
Note: MailWasher Pro is about 10 megabytes in size and takes approximately 13 minutes to download with a 56k modem or about 25 seconds with a DSL connection.
How do I install MailWasher Pro?
Answer:
After you have downloaded MailWasher Pro, locate the downloaded file and double click to begin installation.
The MailWasher Pro installation wizard guides you through the installation process.
After MailWasher Pro is installed you can add or import the email accounts you want MailWasher Pro to check. For more information about how to add or import accounts, click Help from the Accounts window.
How do I transfer my MailWasher Pro files from one PC to another?
Answer:
In MailWasher Pro click Help > About > then click on the link below Enable extended Error Logging.
Doing so will open an explorer window in the MailWasher data files directory.
Close MailWasher Pro.
Copy the following files and folder : blacklist.txt, filters.txt, and the training folder out of the directory opened in the first step and paste into your target machine under: MailWasher Pro > Help > About > then click the link below Enable extended Error Logging.
MailWasher Pro should not be running on the target machine when you copy across.
Note: Your email accounts will need to reimported on the new PC and note that the blacklist.txt includes BOTH the Friends list AND the Blacklist.
Do I need to remove the old MailWasher before installing MailWasher Pro?
Answer:
No you do not need to uninstall first, although as your PC treats MailWasher Pro versions as a separate program, uninstalling the "old" MailWasher is considered good house-keeping, once you have installed and set up MailWasher Pro.
I have reformatted my PC or bought a new PC. How do I get my registered MailWasher Pro back?
Answer:
You will need to download the latest version of MailWasher Pro from the download page.
Although this is a Trial version of the software, it will convert to being fully registered when you enter your Registration key by clicking the Register button in the toolbar of the Trial version.
If you no longer have your registration key, you can request that it be sent out to you by logging on at http://www.firetrust.com/user/
Ensure you use the same email address that you initially registered MailWasher Pro with. If you have a new email address, please contact our support staff first, so this can be updated.
If you wish to transfer files (from another PC), please read the FAQ about transfering files.
I purchased MailWasher Pro through a reseller. Where can I download updates?
Answer:
If you purchased your copy of MailWasher Pro through one of our resellers, then you can download you updates from the upgrade page.
Why do I get an error when trying to start my email client? Or, how do I specify a default email client?
Answer:
You may not have specified a default email client. To do this right click on the Internet Explorer short-cut on your desktop, select Properties to open the Internet Properties window, then select the Programs tab. Select your default email client in the Email field.
or
In Windows XP click Start > Set program Access and Defaults > click Custom and a drop down menu will appear > click the email program you want to use as your Windows default email program > click OK.
In Windows Vista click Start > Default Programs > Set your default programs > click the email program you want to use as your Windows default email program > click Set this program as default
To change which email program MailWasher Pro opens, from the MailWasher Pro menu select Tools > General Options and next to Launch email application after processing, click Specify. Use the drop down selection box to select which email program you want to have open, or alternatively, manually browse to the location of the program you want to have opened.
I'm having problems with MailWasher Pro connecting to the Internet. What can I do?
Answer:
Try the following solutions:
If on dial up:
MailWasher Pro > Tools > Options > Connections > select Dial up to the Internet and tick Perform default mail check on start up under the Options > General tab.
On your PC > Control Panel > Internet Options > Connections > ensure your Internet connection is labelled as Default.
DSL / Cable
MailWasher Pro > Tools > Options > Connections > select Do not dial up to the Internet and tick Perform default mail check on start up under the Options > General tab.
LAN
MailWasher Pro > Tools > Options > Connections > select Do not dial up to the Internet.
On your PC > Control Panel > Internet Options > Connections > LAN settings > tick Automatically detect settings.
If you still have problems, try selecting Assume I am online, under Tools > Options > Connections of MailWasher Pro.
Firewall
Also ensure if you have a Firewall, that you have made a rule that allows MailWasher Pro full permissions to access the Internet.
Which email client does MailWasher Pro start up
Answer:
MailWasher Pro starts your default email client. If you want to specify a different program to open, then from the MailWasher Pro menu select Tools > General Options and next to Launch email application after processing, click Specify. Use the drop down selection box to select which email program you want to have open, or alternatively, manually browse to the location of the program you want to have opened.
Why does MailWasher Pro not import the password from my account?
Answer:
Your email password is encrypted and has to be re-entered by you.
What are my POP (or IMAP) and SMTP settings?
Answer:
POP or IMAP is your incoming mail setting and SMTP is your outgoing mail setting. You need to consult your documentation from your email provider for these settings, otherwise MailWasher will import these for you.
To import your settings, Click Settings > Email Accounts > Run Wizard and you will be guided to import your account settings and contacts.
How do I stop automatically checking an account?
Answer:
- From the MailWasher Pro menu select Tools > Email Accounts.
- Highlight the appropriate account.
- Deselect the Include this account in default mail check checkbox.
How do I switch off automatic checking in my email program?
Answer:
The following are instructions for the more common email programs:
Netscape
- Select Edit > Preferences from the Netscape main menu.
- Open the Mail & Newsgroups section and go to Mail Servers.
- Select the desired email account from the Incoming Mail Servers list and click Edit button.
- Deselect the option labeled Check for mail every ( ) minutes.
Outlook Express / IncrediMail
- Select Tools > Options from the main menu.
- Deselect the options labeled Send and receive messages at startup and Check for new messages every ( ) minute(s).
Outlook
- Select Tools > Options from the main menu.
- Select the Mail Setup tab and click Send/Receive.
- Deselect Schedule an automatic send and receive every ( ) minutes checkbox.
Thunderbird
- Select Tools > Account Settings from the Thunderbird main menu.
- Click the Server Settings section.
- Deselect the option labeled Check for new messages every ( ) minutes.
Eudora
- Select Tools > Options from the main menu.
- Select Checking Mail from the icon list on the left.
- Enter 0 in the input box labeled Check for mail every ( ) minute(s).
Pegasus
- Select Tools > Options from the main menu.
- Select the Network tab, then click Advanced network configuration options.
- Enter 0 in the input box labeled Check for new POP3 mail every ( ) seconds.
Can I use Yahoo with MailWasher Pro?
Answer:
Yes you can, although Yahoo.com users need to sign up for POP3 access, which requires an annual fee. Other Yahoo domains (Yahoo.co.uk, Yahoo.com.au) still provide free POP3 access.
Can I import my existing accounts into MailWasher Pro?
Answer:
Yes you can. Select Tools > Email Accounts > Run Wizard.
Note: Hotmail, MSN Hotmail and AOL accounts cannot be imported and must be added manually. See the MailWasher Pro help for more information.
Can I use AOL with MailWasher Pro?
Answer:
Yes you can, AOL have changed their servers so you may check using IMAP rather than the AOL proprietry service:
In MailWasher Pro:
- Click Tools > Email Accounts > Add Account> and enter the name of the email account and your AOL email address. Click Next.
- The appropriate server details will be added automatically.
- Enter that AOL Screen Name's password in the Password field.
- Click OK.
- Click Close.
What SMTP settings should I use when I have accounts from different providers or multiple accounts?
Answer:
You should use the SMTP setting of the Internet Service Provider (ISP) you are connected to the internet with for all your accounts.
How many email accounts may I enter?
Answer:
You can have as many accounts as you require. There is no limit to the amount of email accounts which may be checked
Can I use CompuServe with MailWasher Pro?
Answer:
Yes, you can.
If your account is a CompuServe Classic account, then access through POP3 is required. To activate your POP3 Mailbox on your Classic account, GO POPMAIL online.
CompuServe 2000 accounts must be added to MailWasher Pro as IMAP accounts using the IMAP server address of imap.cs.com
Can I use Gmail with MailWasher Pro?
Answer:
Yes you can:
In GMail:
Click Settings > Forwarding and POP > POP Download > Check Enable POP only for mail that arrives from now on.
Go to:
Click Save changes.
In MailWasher Pro:
- Click Tools > Email Accounts > Add Account.
- Enter a name reference for your account in the Account Name and enter your GMail address in to the Email Address field. Click Next.
- The GMail settings will be entered automatically.
- Enter your GMail password in the Password field.
- Click OK.
- Click OK
AT&T Yahoo account setup Instructions
Answer:
AT&T Yahoo! Have changed security on Email Settings for POP and SMTP
If you have any of the following email addresses then you will need to manually change your MailWasher Pro account settings.
Mail Server (POP, SMTP) Settings
Your Email Address: Incoming (POP) Outgoing (SMTP)
- MemberID@ameritech.net pop.att.yahoo.com smtp.att.yahoo.com
- MemberID@att.net pop.att.yahoo.com smtp.att.yahoo.com
- MemberID@flash.net pop.att.yahoo.com smtp.att.yahoo.com
- MemberID@nvbell.net pop.att.yahoo.com smtp.att.yahoo.com
- MemberID@pacbell.net pop.att.yahoo.com smtp.att.yahoo.com
- MemberID@prodigy.net pop.att.yahoo.com smtp.att.yahoo.com
- MemberID@sbcglobal.net pop.att.yahoo.com smtp.att.yahoo.com
- MemberID@snet.net pop.att.yahoo.com smtp.att.yahoo.com
- MemberID@swbell.net pop.att.yahoo.com smtp.att.yahoo.com
- MemberID@wans.net pop.att.yahoo.com smtp.att.yahoo.com
Incoming mail server: POP3
- Outgoing mail server: Outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication
- Incoming mail port #: 995, secure connection (SSL) checked
- Outgoing mail port #: 465, secure connection (SSL) checked
In MailWasherPro click Tools > Email Accounts > then the AT&T Yahoo! mail account that you want to update > Incoming mail(POP3) > Advanced Account options > and check This server requires a secure connection (SSL).
In MailWasherPro click Tools > Email Accounts > then the AT&T Yahoo! mail account that you want to update > Bouncing & outgoing mail and if Enable bouncing of messages from this account is checked then click > Advanced account options and check This server requires a secure connection (SSL) and My SMTP Server requires authentication. > Use the same settings as my incoming mail server.
In MailWasher Pro click Tools > Recycle Bin Options > Set SMTP Server > Enter the SMTP Server of your ISP > Advanced > and check 'This server requires a secure connection (SSL) and My SMTP Server requires authentication. > Use the same settings as my incoming mail server.
What is APOP?
Answer:
APOP is a POP3 setting that encrypts your username and password when checking your mail. Not all Internet providers support this, but it will probably be widely used eventually.
How do I shutdown old MailWasher Pro to install new upgraded MailWasher Pro?
Answer:
Ensure you shutdown old MailWasher Pro before installing new MailWasher Pro.
To shutdown MailWasher Pro from running on your computer in MailWasher Pro click File > Exit
Or if MailWasher Pro is minimized to the System Tray then right click on the MailWasher Pro icon and left click on Exit.
How do I manually add a Hotmail \ Windows Live mail account?
Answer:
POP3 access is now available to Hotmail and Windows Live Mail users.
To manually add a Hotmail \ Windows Live mail account.M
- Open MailWasher
- Click Tools > Email Accounts or simply press F8
- Click Add Account
Mail Account Setup
- Enter your email account name (example: John Smith)
- Enter your email address (example: john@hotmail.com)
- Make sure the Include this account when checking mail box is checked if you want Mailwasher to include this account each time it checks your mail (bottom left of the Email Account Details window)
- Click Next
- these fields should automatically be filled in, if not then do so:
- pop3.live.com
- your user name
- enter your Hotmail \ Windows Live mail password and then click Remember Password
- Now click Advanced Account Options to check the details are correct
- These fields should automatically be filled in, if not then do so:
- Server Port 995
- This server requires a secure connection (SSL) box should be checked
- The bottom POP3 UIDL box will also be checked by default so leave it checked
- Click OK
- Click Next to access the Bouncing and Outgoing Mail tab
- Enter smtp.live.com into the smtp server field.
- Only check Enable bouncing of messages from this account, if you want this to happen when your mail is being processed by Mailwasher (can be changed later from within your email account settings)
- Click Advanced Options and make sure Port 25 is entered.
- Also check This server requires a secure connection (SSL)
- Further options are available on the Bouncing details and Email Addresses tabs if required, or just leave as default.
- Click OK, then click OK again. Now click OK once more to exit the Mail Account setup page.
- Click Check Mail from the Mailwasher toolbar to start processing your email
and enjoy a clean inbox
What does the Status column mean?
Answer:
The Status column shows the analysis of an email by MailWasher Pro as
- Known Spam
- Probably Spam
- Probable Virus
- Virus
- Probably Legitimate
This is also where a custom filter status is shown.
How can I change the order of the columns?
Answer:
- Select Tools > General Options > Display Options.
- Highlight the required column heading in the Columns area and use the Adjust column order up and down arrows to position the column.
How do I sort incoming mail?
Answer:
Click on any column header to sort incoming mail by that category.
What are learning filters?
Answer:
MailWasher Pro supports Bayesian Statistical analysis to intelligently detect the probability that a given message is spam, based on comparison with the content of the spam and good email you've received in the past.
MailWasher Pro's "learning filters" will take the whole message into consideration, learning from the spam and good email received to deliver you a robust and efficient approach to solving your spam problem.
How does Quick Reply work?
Answer:
This feature launches a "New Email" window using your default mail program, allowing you to create quick replies to messages in the MailWasher screen. There are some known issues/limitations with this feature, which are described below:
- Only a part of the message you are replying to comes up in the reply email window - there are limits to the size of the text that can be passed to the email program (and the limit varies depending on many factors).
- The body of the message doesn't come up at all in some mail programs.
- If the Quick Reply doesn't work and brings up the error "Could not launch email client", then there might not be an email program set up to handle mailto URL's. This means that Windows is not fully configured to run the mail program. You can confirm this by entering the following URL into Internet Explorer and seeing if it brings up your email program:
- The Quick Reply button may bring up the wrong email program. This is a straight out Windows configuration issue. Some email programs configure this aspect correctly, others do not. If you have installed two email programs, then the email program you want to use might not have set itself up as the one to handle mailto URL's. This needs to be set within your default chosen default email program.
- Foreign characters may cause Mozilla to print the rest of the text as question marks.
If you are having problems or errors with the Quick Reply not working, then click here to download a patch. Once downloaded close MailWasher Pro and run the file, then answer YES to import this into the Windows Registry.
If you need to undo this change, download the patch removal from here and follow the above steps.
How do I use the Action column?
Answer:
See the demo which pops up when you first start MailWasher.
How does MailWasher Pro delete messages?
Answer:
MailWasher Pro deletes email messages directly off your Internet Service Provider's server before they are downloaded.
Can I get deleted messages back?
Answer:
Yes. To restore deleted messages:
- Select Tools > Recycle Bin to display the message log.
- Select the Deleted Email you want to restore, and then click Restore Email, or right click and select Restore email. The email is sent to your inbox.
To utilize this feature, it also requires you to set MailWasher Pro to keep a copy of your deleted mail.
Under Tools > General Options > Recycle Bin Options select Enable Recycle Bin and Allow deleted email to be restored from the recycle bin.
MailWasher Pro also needs to know what your SMTP address is, in order to send the restored email, as well as the email address you want these restored emails sent to.
Note: You can only restore messages that you have deleted after enabling this option.
Why does MailWasher Pro only preview in plain text format and not HTML?
Answer:
HTML can carry viruses and other scripts which can run when viewed. Although HTML is easier to read and better to look at, it is potentially harmful to view HTML email if you are unsure of the sender.
How do I move email messages from MailWasher Pro to my email program?
Answer:
You don't need to. Messages displayed in MailWasher Pro are still available on your server for download in to your email program. When you have finished in MailWasher Pro, go to your regular email program and click Send/Receive ("Check Mail" in Eudora, "Get Msg" in Netscape) to download your mail.
What keyboard commands can I use with MailWasher Pro?
Answer:
[ARROW DOWN] Move down one message
[PAGE UP] Move up one page
[PAGE DOWN] Move down one page
[ESC] Exits preview
[DELETE] Marks for Delete
[D] Marks for Delete
[B] Marks for Bounce
[R] Marks for Report
[+] Adds to Friends List
[-] Adds to Blacklist
[ENTER] Preview
[SPACE] Preview
[F5] Check Mail
[F6] Process mail
[C] Clear message list
[F7] Launch email application
[F8] Display Accounts window
[CTRL] + [F6] View Preview pane
[CTRL] + [F7] View Filter sidebar
[CTRL] + [F8] Show hidden emails
[CTRL] + [A] Select all
[CTRL] + [O] Show Options window
[CTRL] + [E] Show the Errors digest
[CTRL] + [T] Display Spam Tools
[CTRL] + [Shift] + [M] Maximise
How does MailWasher Pro bounce messages?
Answer:
Bouncing makes it looks as if your email address is not valid. Great for letting your ex-boyfriend/girlfriend/ wife/husband/friend think your email address doesn't exist anymore and that you're no longer contactable.
MailWasher Pro uses an algorithm to determine the best route to send the bounced message back (from, reply to, return path). MailWasher Pro can bounce a message one of two ways:
- Local option - The bounce is sent back via your ISP's postmaster.
- Remote option - The bounce is sent back via the sender's SMTP server.
In either case, the bounce looks exactly like it has come from your ISP and not from your address.
Warning: If the spammer has used a fake address, then your bounce message will itself be bounced back to the postmaster (local option) or lost in cyberspace (remote option) and you won't receive the bounced bounce email. So please don't use this feature to bounce back spam as most spam is sent from fake sender addresses, so the bounces go nowhere and may annoy your internet service provider.
I can't bounce messages!
Answer:
Check Bouncing is enabled for your account. To do this click Tools > Email Accounts > select your account > select Bouncing and Outgoing Mail > select Enable bouncing of messages from this account .
Make sure your SMTP settings are correct. You may also not be able to bounce messages if you are bouncing messages for an account that is not the same as your dial up provider. To get around this problem, make the SMTP settings for all your accounts are the same as your dial up provider. If you are using remote bouncing, it can often require the actual DNS server address to be loaded, instead of using the default Detect automatically option.
Enable bouncing in the following Spam Tools if you wish -
In MailWasherPro click Tools > Spam Tools > My Blacklist and check Mark the email for bounce
In MailWasherPro click Tools > Spam Tools > FirstAlert! and check Mark the email for bounce
In MailWasherPro click Tools > Spam Tools > Learning and check Mark the email for bounce
In MailWasherPro click Tools > Spam Tools > Learning > Recognizing Spam and check Mark the email for bounce
In MailWasherPro click Tools > Spam Tools > Origin of Spam and check Mark the email for bounce
Do the spammers know I am bouncing email?
Answer:
No, spammers do not know you are bouncing messages. Bounced messages look just like a returned mail message you would receive if you sent an email to an incorrect address.
Why are my friends getting their emails bounced back to them?
Answer:
Check that your friends are not listed in your blacklist. Select Tools > Spam Tools and select the My Blacklist tab. Locate your friend's name and delete it from the list.
Why can't I bounce messages from my AOL account?
Answer:
The AOL proprietary system does not allow bouncing from AOL accounts.
I am getting my bounced emails back to me
Answer:
If you are using AVG7, go to the AVG Control Center, double click the Email Scanner Plugin, click the Configure button and deselect the option Check Outgoing Mail.
How does the Friend's List work?
Answer:
The Friends List is a list of all email addresses from which you always want to receive messages, regardless of content. Messages from your friends are not labeled as spam, even if the content resembles spam.
How do I enter an address into the Friend's List?
Answer:
There are several ways to enter a friend's address to your Friends List:
- Tools > Spam Tools > My Friends List > Import and it will import contacts from your email program.
- Tools > Spam Tools > My Friends List > Add and you can either enter a whole address or use a wildcard to enter anyone, say for example, all email from the same company as your friend. eg. *@firetrust.com would let anyone from Firetrust.com be entered as your friend, and ????@firetrust.com would let anyone with a four letter name who works at Firetrust be entered as your friend.
- You can add another column to the message table which is labeled Friends. To do this, select Tools > General Options > Display Options. Select the Friends List checkbox in the Columns area and click OK. This makes it easy to select your friends as they send you email.
For more information about the Friends List, see Managing the Friends List in the MailWasher Pro help.
Can I transfer my Address Book into the Friend's List?
Answer:
You can import your contacts from your Windows Address Book into MailWasher Pro.
To do this from MailWasher Pro, click Tools > Spam Tools > My Friends List > Import. Either select the Import All button to transfer all these contacts across, or alternatively, select the individual addresses you would like to add and press Import
Alternatively, if you can export your address book to a text (.txt) file then you can add your contacts directly to the file.
The Friends List is stored in the blacklist.txt file (contained in the application data directory which can be located by selecting Help > About and clicking on the link at the bottom of the screen), so you can just copy and paste the addresses here.
If changes are to be made to this file, MailWasher Pro must be closed before opening this file and remain closed until you have entered and saved your changes. The format of the file must be specific to one email address per line, with no extra characters like commas etc. The Friends List is contained in this file under the heading [Whitelisted emails].
Can I import my Outlook Contacts into the Friend's List?
Answer:
Yes you can, just go to Tools > General Options > My Friends List > Import and it will import all your Outlook contacts.
What are the Friends List options 'Display the email' and 'Hide the email' for?
Answer:
In MailWasher Pro select Spam Tools then Friends list and use the Display the email or Hide the email radio buttons to specify if you want MailWasher Pro to display email messages received from addresses on your Friends list or not.
This means that if you select Hide the email, only email that may be possible spam or is from an address you don't know displays in your message table. Messages from your friends are simply downloaded. If you select Display the email, messages from your friends are displayed with all your other messages in the message table.
How does the Blacklist work?
Answer:
The Blacklist tab gives you an easy way to banish spammers from your inbox, as it is an effective tool against email from mailing lists that you may have unwittingly signed up for (or been submitted to), from companies who take no notice of your unsubscribe requests.
How do I enter an address into the Blacklist?
Answer:
There are several ways to enter an address to the Blacklist:
- Tools > Spam Tools > My Blacklist > Add and you can either enter a whole address or use a wildcard to enter anyone, say for example, all email from the same domain which is a source for junk mail. eg. *@spammer.com would catch anyone from Spammer.com and ????@spammer.com would catch anyone with a four letter Spammer email address.
- You can add another column to the preview panel which is labeled Blacklist. To do this, select Tools > General Options > Display Options. Select the Blacklist checkbox in the Columns area and click OK. This makes it easy to select junk emailers as they send you email.
For more information about the Blacklist, see Managing the Blacklist in the MailWasher Pro help
Can I import an existing Blacklist?
Answer:
Yes, if the existing Blacklist is a plain text file of email addresses.
Copy and paste your Blacklist entries to the Blacklist file (Blacklist.txt), located in the application data directory which can be located by selecting Help > About and selecting the link at the bottom of the window.
MailWasher Pro must be closed before opening this file and remain closed until you have entered and saved your changes. The format of the file must be specific to one email address per line, with no extra characters like commas etc. The Blacklist is contained under the heading [Blacklisted emails]. The Friends List is also contained in this file under the heading [Whitelisted emails].
Why don't big imported spam lists work with MailWasher Pro?
Answer:
Operating systems Windows 95, 98 and Me have a limit of 32,000 characters for a list and stop MailWasher Pro working properly if the list is too big.
How do the Auto Delete and Auto Bounce options work?
Answer:
As soon as your mail is checked on the server and identified as being from a sender in your personal Blacklist, it is bounced directly from the server back to the sender and deleted so you never actually see it.
Messages marked by the DNS spam Database Servers are not automatically deleted or bounced.
What are the numbers beside the email address in the text file?
Answer:
They are the date the address last matched an email (for expiry purposes). If the number is missing then the current date is assumed.
What is a DNS spam Blacklist Server?
Answer:
A DNS spam Blacklist Server is a database of known Internet addresses (or IP's) used by persons or companies who are either sending spam, or who are known in some way to support spammers, for example having open mail relays or hosting websites and distributing marketing spamming software.
What benefit is there in using DNS spam Blacklist Servers?
Answer:
When checking your mail in MailWasher Pro, any new email is checked against these lists to determine if the email comes from a known source of spam. This is listed in the Status column in the preview pane.
These emails are automatically marked for Delete.
Which lists are provided and are there more?
Answer:
Spamhaus and SpamCop are built in to MailWasher Pro, but you can add more if you want. The listed ones in MailWasher Pro are:
- bl.spamcop.net
- sbl-xbl.spamhaus.org
Note: sbl-xbl.spamhaus.org has been replaced with zen.spamhaus.org
Other blacklist servers are:
- list.dsbl.org
- blackholes.mail-abuse.org
- bl.csma.biz
- psbl.surriel.com
- cbl.abuseat.org
I made alterations to my blacklist.txt file, but when I go to MailWasher Pro, the changes are not there.
Answer:
Any changes you make to the Blacklist.txt file are not saved if MailWasher Pro is open. Make sure that even before you open the file in a text editor that MailWasher Pro is not running.
To shutdown MailWasher Pro from running on your computer in MailWasher Pro click File > Exit
Or if MailWasher Pro is minimized to the System Tray then right click on the MailWasher Pro icon and left click on Exit.
Computer says MailWasher Pro is already running
then there is a hotkey to bring MWP to the fore if it's hidden:
vShift - CTRL - M
Try that combo to get it back to the screen if you're trying to start it when it's 'already running' but hidden.
Note: the hotkey combo is configurable in MWP.
or
Click, Ctrl, Alt, Delete on your keyboard, when the Windows Task Manager opens click the Processes tab. If Mailwasher.exe is in the list there, click on it and click, End Process
Why can I import the Junk Senders file from Outlook into MailWasher Pro, but I can't with Outlook Express?
Answer:
Outlook has its Junk Senders List as a plain text file and can be easily added to MailWasher Pro's Blacklist file. Outlook Express has it's Junk Sender's List in the registry which cannot be exported as a text file.
Why do I get this error in Vista - 'Could not save blacklist file (including friend's list): cannot create file "C:\Users\yourna
Answer:
Right click on your MailWasher Pro shortcut, with the left mouse button select Properties > select the Compatibility tab at the top > ensure the option Run as administrator is checked > click OK.
Why is every email marked 'Origin Blacklisted by ORDB' in the Status column?
Answer:
Problem
Origin of Spam External DNS Blacklist Server 'ORDB' is marking every mail as Origin Blacklisted by ORDB
Why
ORDB which was discontinued some time ago is now replying again, however it's still not in service which means that every answer it gives is positive.
What this means
Anyone using ORDB will have every email marked as Origin Blacklisted..... by this service, unless the address is in the Friends List.
Solution
If you have ORDB checked in MailWasherPro Spam Tools then uncheck.
In MailWasherPro click Spam Tools > Origin of Spam and uncheck ORDB (relays.ordb.org) and click OK (or press Enter key on your keyboard)
How does a filter work?
Answer:
Filters identify any email that meet certain criteria, for example, you may want to identify all email that have the words Dear Friend in the body of the email, or all email that have a Microsoft Word attachment.
Can you show me an example of a filter?
Answer:
To identify all email with "Dear Friend" in the body of the email:
- Tools > Spam Tools > My Filters > Add
- Enter a name, priority and action for the filter.
- In the Rules section, select The body contains and enter the text Dear Friend.
- Click OK.
To identify all email with a Microsoft Word attachment (.doc):
- Tools > Spam Tools > My Filters > Add
- Enter a name, priority and action for the filter.
- In the Rules section, select The body contains and enter the text .doc.
- Click OK.
Do you have any filters I can download?
Answer:
Yes! With special thanks to Gary Partain, here's a link to a big list of filters. Just download it and add it into your filters list!
What does RegExpr mean?
Answer:
RegExpr means regular expression. Regular expressions are tools that look like comic-book expletives (#!?#@!!#), but can be very powerful when used to filter email.
Regular expressions are used to recognize patterns within emails. They evaluate the text of an email and return an answer of true or false. That is, either the expression correctly describes the text of the email or it doesn't. This enables you to specify a filter to easily identify certain kinds of email text or patterns.
How can I make a Regular Expression filter?
Answer:
Regular expression filters take a bit of getting used to, but here is a basic outline and some more common examples below that you may like to use yourself.
Character What it represents Example
Any Represents the character typed,
with the exception of special
characters defined below A represents A, B represents B etc
. Any character(except line breaks) Will match c, 3, [SPACE] etc
\d Any digit Will match 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9
\D Any non-digit Will match anything except 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9
^ Beginning of line
$ End of line
\t [TAB] \thello matches "hello" preceded by a tab
\r Line Break [RETURN]
\s Whitespace Matches any whitespace character: [SPACE], [TAB], Line Break, New Line
\S Non whitespace Matches any non whitespace character
\w Word characters Typically letters, numbers and underscores
\W Non word characters Matches any non word character
\character A character that is normally a special character Special characters are: . # ^ $ \ ? + * | [ ] ( )
[any series of characters] Any characters inside the brackets [abc] matches a, b or c
[any character - another character] Any characters within the range of characters [a-c] matches a, b or c
[^ any series of characters] Any character except ones after the ^ [^c3] matches any character except c or 3
? 0 or 1 of the previous character ba?t matches bat or bt, but not boat
* 0 or more of the previous character ba*t matches bt, bat, baat etc
+ 1 or more of the previous character ba+t matches bat, baat etc but not bt
pattern1/pattern2 Either of the patterns specified ba|t matches ba or t but not bat (it will match ba and then t for two matches instead of one)
(pattern)one of the special characters Same as above, but treats the characters in the parenthesis as a group (ba)*t match t, bat, babat but not bt
The online help for the regular expression engine that MailWasher Pro uses can be found here.
How can I filter any emails that have a blank subject line?
Answer:
You would use: The Subject field "does not contain RegExpr", and then place a full stop . in the next box.
Remember, the full stop . means any character, so we are making a rule that the subject line does not contain any character, meaning a blank subject line.
How can I filter out words in certain parts of sentences?
Answer:
How can I filter out words in certain parts of sentences?
^buy matches buy only if it's at the beginning of a sentence.
buy$ matches buy only if it's at the end of a line.
^buy$ matches buy if it's the only word in the line.
More details of regular expressions can be found here.
There are also other guides available on the web.
Can I import existing filters from other programs?
Answer:
Probably not. MailWasher Pro has its filters in a text file in the application data directory (which can be located by selecting About in the Help menu and selecting the link). You will probably have to add your own filter in.
Why would I use different colors for my filters?
Answer:
Filters appear on the Status column and are activated when an email is intercepted which has triggered your filter.
How does the Precedence feature work?
Answer:
People in the Friends List would not normally be subject to filters, but if you have set up a filter to specifically catch a particular virus, then you can set the filter to take precedence (or identify the virus) over anyone in your Friends List.
Why do I get this error in Vista - 'Could not save the filters: Cannot create file "C:\Users\yourname\AppData\Roaming\Mailwasher
Answer:
Right click on your MailWasher Pro shortcut > with the left mouse button select Properties > select the Compatibility tab at the top > ensure the option Run as administrator is checked > click OK.
Why should I register?
Answer:
If you register MailWasher Pro after the thirty day trial period, you will receive:
- a one year subscription to the FirstAlert! database
- be able to use MailWasher Pro forever
- you are also eligible for free updates to the software and technical support
How do I register?
Answer:
Click Register on the main button bar.
When you select to register MailWasher Pro you are directed to a secure payment site and will be asked to enter your credit card details. You are immediately sent a Registration Key to enter into MailWasher Pro.
How can I pay?
Answer:
There are several payment options:
- Click Register on the MailWasher Pro main button bar to display credit card options - Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Paypal and others.
- PayPal can also be accepted with an email to payments@firetrust.com.
- A personal check in your own currency. This is far more preferable to a money order or bank draft, as it costs you nothing and it only costs us 5 cents to bank. Checks should be made out to "Firetrust Limited" and sent to:
P.O Box 4620
Christchurch 8140
New Zealand.You are registered manually when your check is received.
- International Money order or Western Union Money Order made out to "Firetrust Limited", although these are expensive for you.
Note: Please do not send domestic money orders as we can't bank these.
I do not have a credit card. How do I register?
Answer:
You can send a check made payable to Firetrust Limited and send it to:
P.O Box 4620
Christchurch 8140
New Zealand.
Include your email address so we can email you your registration key once you have been manually registered.
How can I pay if my browser won't load?
Answer:
Make sure you do not have any advert blocking technology stopping the browser loading. Also make sure you have cookies enabled.
The problem could be the security level on your Internet Browser is too high?
If you use Internet Explorer 6 as your default Internet browser then please click this link for a security settings tutorial.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/ie6/using/howto/security/settings.mspx
IE 7/8 have the same settings.
I suggest adding www.firetrust.com as a 'Trusted Zone'
By default, the security level in Internet Explorer for the Internet zone is set to Medium-High. This means that Internet Explorer puts certain restrictions in place to protect you when browsing the Internet. For example, it will prompt you before downloading content that may be unsafe. You can customize the security level to suit your needs using the following steps:
- Open Internet Explorer.
- Click Tools and select Internet Options.
- Click the Security tab.
- Select the zone you want to change the security level for.
- Move the slider up or down to the appropriate setting.
- Click OK.
Which company handles the credit card verifications and payments?
Answer:
- WorldPay - you can visit their website at www.worldpay.com
- Paypal - www.paypal.com
- Cleverbridge - www.cleverbridge.com
How does the Registration key work?
Answer:
The key is encrypted and can only be used once.
Where do I enter the Registration key?
Answer:
If you go to the e-mail that contains the registration key, highlight the registration text (8 or so lines of letters, numbers and characters) and once it is all selected, right click over the selected text and a small menu will appear, select Copy.
Then go to MailWasher Pro, click on Register then the Paste from Clipboard button, then press the Register button to complete the process.
I have paid but not received my registration code.
Answer:
Please click here: http://www.firetrust.com/user/
If you have changed your email address from the one you used to originally register with, please email us with both your old and new addresses so we can update our records.
I have lost my Registration key
Answer:
Please click here: http://www.firetrust.com/user/
If you have changed your email address from the one you used to originally register with, please email us with both your old and new addresses so we can update our records.
I am getting other errors with my registration code.
Answer:
Please contact: Firetrust Support detailing your registration code and the email address you registered with, and the error you are receiving.
I had paid for MailWasher, doesn't that mean I get MailWasher Pro for free?
Answer:
If you have paid for MailWasher and want to upgrade to MailWasher Pro, we can discount this for you based on your previous payment.
Contact MailWasher Pro Support for further details.
I am a registered user of MailWasher Pro but I am getting messages that my trial period is running out. What do I do?
Answer:
You need to copy and paste your registration key into the Register form in MailWasher Pro. If you no longer have your registration key, you can request it to be emailed to you through MailWasher Pro. Just click Register on the main button bar and enter your email address in the Lost Key field
How do I upgrade from the limited version to the full MailWasher Pro?
Answer:
Click Upgrade on the main button bar. You are directed to a secure payment site and will be asked to enter your credit card details. You are immediately sent a full registration key to enter in to MailWasher Pro.
I've just upgraded to version 4.1 and my old registration key is invalid. How do I get a valid key?
Answer:
You may have purchased an early version of MailWasher Pro. Since then our key system has changed slightly. To get a valid key, go to the Register window and enter the email address you used to purchase MailWasher Pro into the I've already registered but lost my key area. Click on the Please email me my key button and you will be emailed a new key.
When I try to register, I get the error "Failed to set data for registration key". What should I do?
Answer:
You may be running Nortons Antivirus Auto Protect or similiar software that is preventing you from altering your registry. You will need to disable this software temporarily, in order to register MailWasher Pro.
The session was intentionally closed by the server before the session was completed.
Answer:
- MailWasher Pro was written to comply with POP3 standards and if for some reason the server you are dialling into has an error, or is not fully compliant (it's more common than you think), then MailWasher Pro does nothing and the server disconnects. It could also just be a temporary communication problem causing the server to disconnect from MailWasher Pro.
- You should be using your POP3 settings given by your Internet Service Provider to dial in to the server, not a proxy such as 127.0.0.1, pop.nortons.antivirus or localhost.
- There is a bug in Norton Internet Security and Nortons Antivirus 2002, so users should disable the incoming mail scanning in NAV 2002 to prevent the disconnections, although you may need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
Upgrading to NAV 2004, or switching AV applications, would also resolve this issue. - You may also receive this error if using AVG 7. To solve this problem, you must follow these steps:
- Double click on the AVG icon on the task bar next to the system clock.
- Double click on Email Scanner.
- Select Use the personal test configuration and click on Properties.
- Click on Servers tab.
- On the Email proxy server list, please double click on POP3:port 10110....Host.
- Click on Connection, (under Server Type) and under Type of login, select Automatic > Ok > Ok > Ok.
Plaintext password not supported.
Answer:
- A "plain text" password is the most common type of password. Some email providers like MSN require further identification. If you have a POP3 MSN account select Tools > Email Accounts to display the Accounts window. Select the Incoming Mail tab. Click Advanced account options and select the Use Secure Authentication and MSN SPA options.
- If your mail server requires APOP select Tools > Email Accounts to display the Accounts window. Select the Incoming Mail tab. Click Advanced account options and select the Use Secure Authentication and APOP options.
- You should be using your POP3 settings given by your Internet Service Provider to dial in to the server, not a proxy such as 127.0.0.1, pop.nortons.antivirus or localhost.
- If you receive this error message and are using Zone Alarm:
Go to ZA Free > Firewall > Zones > Add > Host/Site > Host name, and in the dialogue that comes up add your POP3 mail server name and a simple description (Mail server) and click Lookup, and then Apply.
Repeat this for the smtp server and for each of your separate email account POP3 addresses. - You may also receive this error if you are using AVG7.
To solve this problem, you must follow these steps:
- Double click the AVG icon on the task bar next to the system clock
- Double click on Email Scanner
- Select Use the Personal Test Configuration and click on Properties
- Click on the Servers tab
- On the Email Proxy Server list, please double click on POP3 Port 10110...Host
- Click on Connection (under Server type) and under Type of Login, select Automatic > OK > OK > OK
My AOL account will not connect.
Answer:
Prior to your first mail check in MailWasher Pro you must log out of any AOL proprietary software (AOL, AOL Communicator and AOL Instant Messenger). After MailWasher Pro successfully checks your mail upon first opening the program, all subsequent mail checks work fine, whether you are logged into other AOL software or not.
AOL uses a special authentication system, which we are unfortunately not able to bypass. This means that while you are logged on to any AOL software (AOL, AOL Communicator and AOL Instant Messenger) MailWasher Pro cannot check your account when you first open the program. So check MailWasher Pro first and then you can logon to other AOL software with no problems.
My Hotmail account will not connect.
Answer:
POP3 access is now available to Hotmail and Windows Live Mail users. Please make sure you use these settings.
To manually add a Hotmail \ Windows Live mail account.M
- Open MailWasher
- Click Tools > Email Accounts or simply press F8
- Click Add Account
Mail Account Setup
- Enter your email account name (example: John Smith)
- Enter your email address (example: john@hotmail.com)
- Make sure the Include this account when checking mail box is checked if you want Mailwasher to include this account each time it checks your mail (bottom left of the Email Account Details window)
- Click Next
- these fields should automatically be filled in, if not then do so:
- pop3.live.com
- your user name
- enter your Hotmail \ Windows Live mail password and then click Remember Password
- Now click Advanced Account Options to check the details are correct
- These fields should automatically be filled in, if not then do so:
- Server Port 995
- This server requires a secure connection (SSL) box should be checked
- The bottom POP3 UIDL box will also be checked by default so leave it checked
- Click OK
- Click Next to access the Bouncing and Outgoing Mail tab
- Enter smtp.live.com into the smtp server field.
- Only check Enable bouncing of messages from this account, if you want this to happen when your mail is being processed by Mailwasher (can be changed later from within your email account settings)
- Click Advanced Options and make sure Port 25 is entered.
- Also check This server requires a secure connection (SSL)
- Further options are available on the Bouncing details and Email Addresses tabs if required, or just leave as default.
- Click OK, then click OK again. Now click OK once more to exit the Mail Account setup page.
- Click Check Mail from the Mailwasher toolbar to start processing your email
and enjoy a clean inbox
The Quick Reply will not work.
Answer:
If you are having problems or errors with the Quick Reply not working, then click here to download a patch. Once downloaded close MailWasher Pro and run the file, then answer YES to import this into the Windows Registry.
If you need to undo this change, download the patch removal from here and follow the above steps.
I get a 'list out of bounds' error and I have a pre MailWasher Pro 6.5 version . How do I fix this?
Answer:
Please do a clean uninstall of a pre MailWasher Pro 6.5 version and then install of MailWasher Pro 6.5 or later
Note: all your email account, registration and settings will have to be re-entered into MailWasher Pro.
Summary
Un-install MW.
Delete the MailWasher appdata directory.
Delete MailWasher Pro registry entries.
Restart computer
Download and install MailWasher Pro
Detailed Instructions
- Ensure you find the MailWasher appdata directory while MailWasher Pro is still running and installed.
In MailWasher Pro click on Help >> About >> About >> Click the link to where
MailWasherPro stores the data directory>>
C:\Documents and Settings\yourname\Application Data\MailWasherProor in Vista
C:\Users\yourname\AppData\Roaming\MailWasherPro\
- Shutdown MailWasher Pro
To shutdown MailWasher Pro from running on your computer in MailWasher Pro click File > Exit
Or if MailWasher Pro is minimized to the System Tray then right click on the MailWasher Pro icon and left click on Exit.Computer says 'MailWasher Pro is already running'
then there is a hotkey to bring MWP to the fore if it's hidden:
Shift - CTRL - M
Try that combo to get it back to the screen if you're trying to start it when it's 'already running' but hidden.
Note: the hotkey combo is configurable in MWP.or try
Click, Ctrl, Alt, Delete on your keyboard, when the Windows Task Manager opens click the "Processes" tab,
If "Mailwasher.exe" is in the list there, click on it and click, "End Process" - Uninstall MailWasher Pro.
Click Windows Start >All Programs > MailWasher Pro>Uninstall MailWasher Pro
then delete the MailWasher appdata directory C:\Documents and Settings\yourname\Application Data\MailWasherPro
or in Vista it will be something like C:\Users\yourname\AppData\Roaming\MailWasherPro\ - Next delete the MailWasher Pro registry entries
Click > Windows Start >All Programs >Accessories> Command Prompt > and then type in Regedit and press enter on the keyboard.
Then find HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\FireTrust\MailWasher Pro and
Right click on MailWasher Pro and left click on Delete and answer Yes to delete - Restart your computer.
- Download and install the latest Mailwasher Pro
Please click Download and then click the 'Download Now' buttonA window will show. Click 'Open' and wait while MailWasherPro downloads.
A window will appear. Answer 'Yes' to install MailWasherPro and follow the instructions.
Ensure old MailWasherPro is not running when you install new MailWasherPro.
When you download MailWasherPro then you are downloading the actual program. There are no trial and paid versions. They are one in the same. MailWasherPro by default, is free for 30 days and if the registration key is not entered then MailWasherPro will disable.
When you pay for MailWasherPro a registration key is sent to you and you then paste this key into the registration panel.
MailWasherPro will then be enabled and fully functional for life. You are then entitled download and install future versions of MailWasherPro for free. Windows will remember your MailWasherPro registration key for future installations of any new version of MailWasherPro.
If you have a new computer and or need to reinstall MailWasherPro after a Windows re install then click http://www.firetrust.com/user/
You can then get your registration key resent to you by email.
How do I know if I have registered my copy of MailWasherPro?
In MailWasherPro click Help>>About and the top of that window should say About MailWasher Pro 6.5
Also In the middle it will say This product is licensed to: Your name
Having problems with the above clean uninstall/install of MailWasher Pro then email Support for help.
I get a 'list out of bounds' or 'runtime error' and I have latest MailWasher Pro 6.5 version or later . How do I fix this?
Answer:
MailWasher Pro 6.5 has a new uninstall option to delete settings that cause the 'list out of bounds' and 'runtime errors' errors but leave account/registration settings intact.
Detailed Instructions
- Shutdown MailWasher Pro 6.5
- Uninstall MailWasher Pro 6.5
- Restart your computer.
- Download and install the latest MailWasher
To shutdown MailWasher from running on your computer in MailWasher click File > Exit
Or if MailWasher is minimized to the System Tray then right click on the MailWasher icon and left click on Exit.
If computer says 'MailWasher is already running' then there is a hotkey to bring MW to the fore if it's hidden: Shift - CTRL - M
Try that combo to get it back to the screen if you're trying to start it when it's 'already running' but hidden.
Note: the hotkey combo is configurable in MW.
or try
Click, Ctrl, Alt, Delete on your keyboard, when the Windows Task Manager opens click the "Processes" tab,
If "Mailwasher.exe" is in the list there, click on it and click, "End Process"
Click Windows Start >All Programs > MailWasher Pro >Uninstall MailWasher Pro
You will be asked 'Are you sure you want to completely remove MailWasher Pro and all its components?'.
Click 'Yes'
Uncheck 'Would you like us to follow up via email?' and click 'Cancel'
You will now have a message that says 'Do you want to keep your MailWasher Configuration Settings? User settings are things like your email account details and any settings you have specified - useful to keep if you need to re-install MailWasher'
Click 'No' (important to click no and not yes)
Please click Download and then click the 'Download Now' button
What is FirstAlert!?
Answer:
FirstAlert! is a database of spam messages that can be used by individuals to eliminate future circulation.
FirstAlert! makes use of the very large community of MailWasher Pro users to easily and actively report spam messages to a central database, so that once a particular spam email is reported and verified as spam, no other MailWasher Pro FirstAlert! subscriber receives that particular message.
How does FirstAlert! work?
Answer:
As well as our own HoneyPots which automatically collect spam email, MailWasher Pro and MailWasher Server users can report spam messages to FirstAlert!. Spam messages are then transformed into a unique digital fingerprint. Users who interact with the database, do so in real time, so any messages that identically correspond to fingerprints in the database, are marked as known spam and immediately eliminated.
What email accounts can be used with FirstAlert!?
Answer:
FirstAlert! works with any account in MailWasher Pro. Any POP3 or IMAP accounts can be used.
Can I use FirstAlert! behind a firewall?
Answer:
Yes, you can. You need to make sure you set your firewall to allow MailWasher Pro full access to the internet. MailWasher Pro interacts with FirstAlert! through Port 4050.
Can I use FirstAlert! with a proxy server?
Answer:
Yes, you can.
To enter your proxy server settings in MailWasher Pro:
- In MailWasher Pro click Tools > General Options > Connection Options and tick, Use a proxy server.
- Enter your proxy server address and port number, click OK.
What messages does MailWasher Pro check against FirstAlert!?
Answer:
MailWasher Pro checks any messages that are not marked as legitimate either by your Friends List or by your filters. For this reason, we strongly suggest you make sure your Friends List is up to date. This ensures maximum accuracy so no accidental reporting takes place.
MailWasher Pro does not allow you to report emails that have already been added to the FirstAlert! database. When an email has already been added to the database, the status of the message reads "Known spam", and the report check box does not display.
Does MailWasher Pro automatically delete messages marked by FirstAlert!?
Answer:
No. By default, this option is disabled.
To set up your FirstAlert! account in MailWasher Pro:
- From the MailWasher Pro main screen, click Tools > Spam Tools to display the Spam Tools window.
- Click FirstAlert! and select the Use FirstAlert! database of spam.
- Enter your FirstAlert! account number and password and click OK.
In this area you can also set the actions you want MailWasher Pro to take with messages matched by FirstAlert! and when you want the actions to be performed. If you are unsure we recommend you leave the settings as they are and when you are more comfortable with the FirstAlert! system, alter these to your own preferences.
What sort of message should I not report?
Answer:
If you have previously had voluntary communication with the sender, then this is not spam and should not be reported.
Other types of messages that should not be submitted are automatically generated messages such as:
- Automated Notifications
- Undeliverable Mail
- Mailing List Probes
- Virus Alerts
- Challenge Response Auto Replies
It is known that spammers have forged these types of emails, however the purpose of these emails are actually very legitimate. Automated notifications can tell you when a business contact is out of the office, undeliverable email notifications tell you when an email you have sent has not made it to the recipient and why.
What happens to messages I report?
Answer:
After you have set up FirstAlert! a new Report column displays in the message table.
Select the Report check box beside a message and click Process Mail to send that message to FirstAlert!
MailWasher Pro does not check any messages against FirstAlert! that are marked as legitimate either by your Friends List or filters. Nor can legitimate messages be reported.
As MailWasher Pro checks your email account(s), it automatically checks each message against the FirstAlert! database of known spam. By default, any messages matched are displayed with the status "Known Spam" and marked ready for Delete and Blacklist.
Optionally you can choose to have MailWasher Pro automatically delete these messages. To set options for MailWasher Pro click the Settings button from the MailWasher Pro main screen and then click FirstAlert!.
What happens to messages that get rejected?
Answer:
Rejected messages are deleted. The number of messages submitted by you that are rejected is recorded against your account and we will contact you if the number of rejected emails reported by you becomes excessive.
What is the cost of FirstAlert?
Answer:
Registered MailWasher Pro users have FirstAlert included with their purchase for 12 months, a subscription to the service and thereafter is USD29.95 per annum.
FirstAlert! is a standard feature of MailWasher Pro versions 4.0 or later
How do I subscribe?
Answer:
If you purchased MailWasher Pro before the 24th of March 2004, click here to subscribe to FirstAlert!
If you purchased MailWasher Pro after the 24th of March 2004, your MailWasher Pro registration key will automatically enable FirstAlert!
Your FirstAlert! account details will also be emailed to you in a separate email for safe keeping.
Why should I pay for FirstAlert!?
Answer:
The FirstAlert! database requires real people to actually check each email that goes into the database so that we minimnise the risk of false positives.
Unfortunatly this costs (a not inconsiderable amount of) money, and therefore we need to charge something for it as there are no update fees for Mailwasher Pro.
If you do not wish to subscribe to FirstAlert!, please just uncheck this option in, Spam Tools>>Firstalert in Mailwasher Pro.
Can I cancel my FirstAlert! subscription?
Answer:
Yes, you can. To cancel your subscription send an email to FirstAlert! Support
.
I didn't subscribe to Firstalert?
Answer:
You receive a free years subscription to Firstalert when you purchase Mailwasher Pro.
Renewing this is entirely optional, so if you do not wish to continue on with this, please just disable Firstalert under, Spam Tools>>Firstalert in Mailwasher Pro.
Why am I being sent an invoice, when I purchased, I was told that MWP was free for life!
Answer:
MailWasher Pro is free for life, and it won't stop working without FirstAlert! Instead you won't have access to the FirstAlert! service.
Renewing this is entirely optional, so if you do not wish to continue on with this, please just disable Firstalert under, Spam Tools>>Firstalert in Mailwasher Pro.
What do I do if I have lost my FirstAlert! account number and password?
Answer:
Send an email to FirstAlert! Support and we email your account details.
I'm getting a "You must provide a valid account number to use this database" error.
Answer:
Be careful not to add any extra spaces when entering your account number and password into the FirstAlert! section of the Spam Tools window.
I'm getting "Invalid Response: Spam Database might be offline" errors.
Answer:
If you are behind a firewall be sure port 4050 is available.
If you have a proxy server, check that you have entered your proxy server settings into the FirstAlert! section of the Spam Tools window.
I'm getting "The username or password for the spam database is incorrect" error.
Answer:
Check that you have entered your FirstAlert! username and password correctly, also making sure you have not added any extra spaces in these fields. If you have checked this, please contact FirstAlert! Support.
I accidentally reported a legitimate message. What should I do?
Answer:
You should send an email to FirstAlert! Support as soon as you realize you have incorrectly submitted the message. Give us the subject of the message you reported and we delete the message from the list.
How do I find out which version I am using?
Answer:
To find out which version of MailWasher Pro you are currently using, click Help > About. The build number will be listed at the top of the information box.
Can I create a link to MailWasher Pro? Do you have an image I can use?
Answer:
Yes you can create a link to MailWasher Pro. Probably the easiest way to do this is to join the Affiliate program, which supplies you with banners you can use. One advantage of joining the Affiliate program is that if anyone buys a copy of MailWasher Pro from clicking on your link, you earn money. For more information see the Affiliates section of the Firetrust website.
I have other questions not answered here. What should I do?
Answer:
Send your question to support@firetrust.com
I have a suggestion for a feature for MailWasher Pro. What should I do?
Answer:
Tell us your suggestion here: MailWasher Pro Suggestions.
How do I find out about MailWasher Pro updates?
Answer:
If you register, you automatically receive notification of updates. Otherwise, notification of the latest version is available on the MailWasher Pro page of the Firetrust website.
Why should I update my version of MailWasher Pro?
Answer:
We are constantly tweaking, fixing and improving MailWasher Pro in response to feedback from our users. These tweaks and fixes are incorporated into version updates which are released, on average, every few months.
A version update will generally fix bugs that may appear in certain situations, improve usability for certain users and may run more efficiently than older versions.
If you're having problems with the software, downloading the latest version should be your first response. Even if MailWasher Pro is running perfectly, we suggest you keep up to date with upgrades, since newer versions will always be more stable under different conditions.
Does MailWasher Pro contain any spyware?
Answer:
No. MailWasher Pro does not contain any spyware or adware.
I have installed MailWasher Pro, but can't find it. Where is it?
Answer:
From the Windows Start menu select Programs > MailWasher > MailWasher Pro. MailWasher Pro starts and minimizes to the system tray at the bottom right of the screen.
Does spam increase over the holiday periods?
Answer:
Yes! Over Christmas spam has always increased
How do I update my version of MailWasher Pro?
Answer:
To update your current version of MailWasher Pro to the latest version, just click the upgrade link.
The new version will load on top of your old version, so there is no need to delete your current version of MailWasher Pro first, although ensure you have closed your current version down before installing the update.
All your settings, registration, blacklist etc will be retained.
How am I notified visually if there is new mail?
Answer:
An icon displays in the system tray to notify you of new email if you have selected Tools > General Options > Blink icon when new mail arrives.
New mail notification is not shown if MailWasher believes the new messages to all be junk mail.
Note: the icon will only blink if MailWasher Pro is minimized or is not the active window.
How can I change the new mail notification sound?
Answer:
Change this sound via the sounds icon in the Control Panel of Windows. Go to Start > Settings > Control Panel and click the Sounds icon. The sound you want to change is MailWasher Pro > New Mail.
Alternatively from MailWasher Pro press Tools > General Options > be sure Play sound when new mail arrives is checked > click Specify > browse to Mailwasher Pro > New Mail and change sound.
Vista blocks MailWasher Pro every time I start my PC and gives me the message 'Windows has blocked some startup programs'. What
Answer:
Vista's 'Blocked Startup Programs' is part of Vista's security features and is common with many other programs but there is a 'work around' fix that lets Vista's task scheduler start MailWasher Pro and thus saves you having to manually click 'Run Blocked Programs'.
Solution 1
Right click on your MailWasher Pro shortcut > with the left mouse button select Properties > select the Compatibility tab at the top > ensure the option "Run as administrator" is checked > click OK.
Restart your computer.
Solution 2 – if solution 1 fails
In MailWasherPro click Tools >> Options >> General >> and uncheck 'Load MailWasherPro on startup
In MailWasher Pro click File > Exit
Restart computer.
Note: This only works if you are an administrator. You cannot cause an administrative program to automatically start on a standard user's desktop. MailWasherPro needs to be run under administrator privileges
Launch the Task Scheduler
In Windows click Start Menu > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Task Scheduler(or may just say 'Create task')
From the Actions panel on the right, select Create Task.
Give a name of your choice in the "Name Section" I.e. MailWasher
Check ‘Run only when user is logged on' and 'Run with highest privileges'
Configure for 'Windows Vista'
Click on the Triggers tab
Click New
Click on the dropdown next to "Begin the task", select 'At log on'
Put a check next to 'specific user or group'
Click OK
Click the Actions tab
Click New
Click browse
Find the program you want to run I.e. look for C:\Program Files\FireTrust\MailWasher Pro\MailWasher.exe
Click ok
Click the Settings tab
Check ' Allow task to be run on demand'
Uncheck 'Run task as soon as possible after a scheduled start is missed'
Uncheck 'Stop the task if it runs longer than 3 days'
Click OK to save and close the task properties
Restart computer
I have lost my SiteHound user ID and/or my Registration code
Answer: Please contact support with your request and advise of the email address you registered with initially.
What is Benign?
Answer: Benign is a system for processing and filtering email as it is downloaded. The aim of the processing and filtering operations is to remove a number of potential risks to your privacy and security, including (but not limited to) web bugs, scripting viruses, worms, trojans and other potentially malicious content.
